


Ink and Cakes

by wouriqueen (MaggieBrown)



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Bakery and Tattoo parlor AU, F/F, Pastry Chef Malia, Tattoo Artist Kira
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-04
Updated: 2015-11-04
Packaged: 2018-04-29 17:01:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5135552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaggieBrown/pseuds/wouriqueen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kira loves her spooky tattoo parlor. She's really sad that some people in the neighborhood seem to want it gone and she thinks maybe she should leave.</p><p>The cute pastry chef who settles right next to her makes it worth staying.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ink and Cakes

Kira sighs dejectedly as yet another person shrieks then goes off on a rant outside her store. They then proceeds to complain about the “attention-seeker” and “psycho” taking pleasure in scaring people. This honestly makes her feel sad. The worst is when they come to her directly to get her to move. There's a middle school around the block and some moms can be pretty agressive. She had so much fun painting her tattoo-shop frontage. When Scott, her best friend from art school who’s so good at trompe l’oeil, had agreed to help, it had been a dream coming true. She honestly thought people would love the crossover between Japanese and Christian mythology. The Lucifer was especially gorgeous. She put so much thought in everything but it only scares people away. Nothing new - some girls used to not want to play with her when she was a kid. Appparently monsters weren't that fascinating and only princesses stories were appropriate. She's used to it. It doesn't make it any less depressing.

“Guess I’m the only one who likes spooky stuff” she mumbles, coming outside and staring ruefully at her masterpiece. “Maybe I should’ve chosen a different spot. A commercial street or something...” The weather is lovely today but the tattoo artist barely notices it.

She does notice, however, the white mini-truck parked on the sidewalk. The spot right after her tattoo parlor has been under construction for the past two weeks. Kira never got a chance to sneak a peek inside because of the huge yellow covers hanging in front of the bay windows, so she’s very curious. A tall, lanky middle-aged man with piercing blue eyes is getting cardboard boxes out of the truck. Or trying to.

“Malia”, he calls, “I’m gonna need help for these.”

“No, leave them for now and let’s set the rest up first.” The voice comes from the doorway, probably the owner. It’s a young woman around Kira’s age. She’s leaning against the door frame so Kira twists her neck a bit to look at her. And well, she’s not disappointed. The new girl is very cute, with light-brown hair cut right under the ear. She exudes confidence. Not arrogance – the easy kind, the one Kira’s always wished she could trade her ramblings for. The girl’s clothing style is the same, laid-back, with boyfriend jeans and a simple patterned white jacket.

Kira thinks she should go over and say hello – especially if they’re going to be neighbors, tolling hard for their pittance … right.

The girl locks eyes with Kira. There’s a few seconds of stillness. She smiles. Kira blinks, smiles back awkwardly then all but runs back inside her parlor and slams the door behind her.

Damn. And she was aiming for relaxed and collected.

 

\------

 

The next morning, Kira gets to her parlor pumped full of positivity. She didn’t get to see her new neighbor – Malia, if she recalled properly – again after their first … “encounter”, if one was willing to call it that. She had to leave in a rush, what with Scott and Allison’s babysitting emergency. So she’s had time to plan their second encounter and fix her embarrassing first impression. It’s simple: she’ll drop by next door with the huge tray of chocolate muffins she woke up early to bake and she’ll smile a lot. Muffins and smiles always made everything better.

But of course, she gets there and the freshly painted sign reads “Tatelly Pastries”. She doesn’t get the word play but she knows what pastries are alright. Of course, of course cute new girl’s shop is a pastry shop. How is Kira supposed to hand her a tray of amateur muffins when it’s literally her job to sell these?

However, her father always says that the thought is what matters, so she bravely lets herself in, stumbling awkwardly because her tray is _so large_. Some trinkets hanging off the door ring above her head and a voice comes out from what she assumes is the kitchen.

“We’re not open yet!”

“I know!” Kira shouts back. “I’m – I’m your neighbor. Well, not your actual neighbor who lives next to you – although people spend so much time working, one could see it that way, right? – but I mean, your work neighbor. If – if that makes sense”, she sputters out, then scrunches up her face in exasperation because _really_ , Kira?

“Oh! Okay, I’ll be right there” the girls answers. “Make yourself comfortable!” Kira wants to say “Thanks” but there are no chairs. She puts her tray down on the counter and looks around. The deco isn’t done yet; there are a ton of plastic bags all around, boxes stacked in a corner and paint tubes on the floor.

“So… um. New shop, uh?” Kira tries, fiddling with her fingers. Malia’s head pop from the kitchen for a second, eyebrow raised, then disappears again.

“Oh! Well yes, of course it’s a new shop, what am I saying” Kira half-giggles half-winces. “So you uh, sell pastries. I know that too. Do you – do you make them yourself or will there be a chef in here?”

Malia answers as she exits the kitchen, wiping her hands on a cloth. “I’m the chef” she says simply. “And you’re the tattoo artist” she adds, extending a hand to Kira. “Nice to meet you. I’m Malia Tate.”

“Oh, yeah. Kira Yukimura. Wait, Tate – is that why the shop is named “Tatelly Pastries”? For … “totally pastries”? Is that it?” Kira asks excitedly. Malia blushes a little, stiff and embarrassed and wow, up close like this she’s even prettier. “Yeah, that’s the word play. Is it … silly? Maybe people won’t get it.”

“No its fine, haha! I just think you should add your name under it, like “Chef Malia Tate’s pastry shop” or something. Then they’ll totally get it.” Malia grins happily then spots the tray of muffins. “Oh! Is that for me?” She grabs one before Kira can lie and munches on it happily. “Awesome!” She’s being polite without a doubt but Kira can’t help but smile. “This is home-made alright” the chef laughs. She’s got the most childish smile and Kira feels all warm inside.

Oops, she has a crush.

 

\------

 

Kira ends up visiting Malia’s shop every day for the next two weeks. She drops by in the morning for an hour before opening her parlor, and sticks around after she closes. It turns out Malia loves, _loves_ Kira’s outdoor deco. The tattooist ends up telling her about every single legend and which version she used and where she got those awesome Japanese masks framing the door. Malia says she’s wanted a tattoo, something discreet and meaningful but never found a design she liked enough for that. “I’ll draw you something” Kira promises, blushing as Malia traces the dragon head on her shoulder blade with the tip of her finger.

Kira calls up all her friends from art school to help Malia for her shop deco during the day, when she’s working. The chef’s aiming for something in tones of grey, brown and green, with fake tree stumps and grass. Two actual chunks of tree trunks, with the branches and all, frame the counter and go up to the ceiling with fake fireflies in their foliage. Malia’s good with tools. She makes all the chairs and the three small tables by herself. Kira sits next to her in the morning, watching her cut and shave the wood. Her hands look both feminine and strong and Kira wonders how they would feel on her…

…then sips on her taro-flavored bubble tea to hide her burning cheeks.

“I grew up near the woods in a small town in California. I want that feeling in my shop” she smiles, picking up one of Kira’s muffins. She’s not as embarrassed about handing them out now that she’s stolen a few recipes from Malia.

“Oh!” someone exclaims outside. “Jeez, I’ll never get used to this. When are they moving out?!” someone exclaims outside with an annoyed huff.

Kira sighs.

“What’s going on?” Malia stands up and goes to look out her bay window.

“It’s my frontage scaring people as usual” Kira says miserably. Then a thought strikes her. “Oh, no. Oh no no no. I’m so stupid! I should’ve thought of that! What if it drives your clients away?!”

Malia frowns. “… What?”

“Think about it! Pastries are cute. Right? They’re sweet, pretty and colorful. Children love them. They love nice happy things, not demons and death! They’ll see my store and run the other way. They’ll be too scared to get close to yours!” She’s walking in circles and looking ready to pull out her own hair. “What do we do? I’m so sorry!”

“Wow, wow. Slow down, Ms. Spooky” Malia interrupts, grabbing her by the arm and making her sit down. “People can’t be that sensitive.” Kira sighs, saddened. “Well, I really thought my frontage would be a success. But people keep getting scared you know? I really wanted the masks and creatures to be as real as possible, but I guess this wasn’t the best idea after all.”

“Does that make you lose clients?”

“No, I mean this is a tattoo parlor. Not to mention, my designs are pretty specific. People know what they’re coming for, the deco’s adequate. But there’s a middle school not far, and I didn’t know it was a posh one… I think I’ve been selfish.” She grabs a small lemon pie and bites into it ruefully when suddenly, Malia is laughing _hard_.

“K - Kira,” she finally manages to say, “this is ridiculous!” She wipes her eyes, giggling. “Come on, now. Middle school kids aren’t going to be traumatized by a few painted monsters.” Now she’s staring right into the tattoo artist’s eyes with a sweet smile and Kira’s redder than ever. “The proper ladies from around the corner can clutch their pearls all they like; I am forbidding you from taking it down.”

The chef thinks for a moment.

“… In fact, you know what? I’ll make a spooky cake corner just for them. They’ll have a good reason to avoid my shop then.”

And she really does.

Malia asks Kira to draw up the designs for the new cakes – Oni masks, dragon masks, fanged mouths and horns. The tattooist goes into a frenzy, huddling in a corner of Malia’s shop at night surrounded by her crayons. She raises her head from time to time just to peek at the taller girl’s face. as she touches up the shop interior and orders ingredients. The whole left side of the display by the bay window is dedicated to their – the word makes Kira giggle – their creations.

A few more days are spent actually conceiving the cakes. "I'm pushing back the opening just for that, so we need to do it right" she grins. Kira is allowed to stay after work, and it’s in an almost religious silence that she watches Malia as she works, whether she’s frantically changing the amount of yogurt again and again to get the “perfect match” or lounging in a corner of the kitchen, mind adrift and earphones on, trying to come with a fresh combination. Kira realizes that what the other girl does iis also art, and the thought that they share that makes her feel warm all over. When it gets a bit chilly at night she sidles up next to the chef and buries her face in her neck. Malia doesn't draw away.

The dark chocolate-orange Oni muffins and the frangipane Devil Horns turn out to be Kira’s favorite. She buys five of each the day the shop opens and eats them behind the counter while Malia’s aids – a lanky boy covered in freckles and a cheery tomboy – take orders. It’s a crazy day and the “Foxy Treats” corner of the display is very successful. Kira thinks Malia’s just crazy talented but the chef insists it’s thanks to her and kisses her hard in the supply room, between boxes of ribbons and stacks of colored paper. She tastes like their Kitsune mini-pie, all whipped cream and caramel and Kira dives in for more.

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on Tumblr [ here ](http://wouriqueen.tumblr.com)!


End file.
